Means for suspending curtains and similar draperies



Oct. 22, 1929. R.BIGII AND 1,732,299

mans FOR susrnnnxim CURTAINS AND SIMILAR DRAPERIES' Filed May 14, 1924 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 22, 1929 A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REUBEN BIGLANID, OF HANDSWORTH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORDF ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK WILLIAM JONES, F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY MEANS FOR SUSPENDING CURTAINS AND SIMILAR DEAI PERIES Application filed May 14, 1924, Serial No. 713,240, and in Great BritainSeptember, 1923.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in means for suspending curs tains, portieres, and similar hangings or draperies.

Theinvention has for its principal object to provide a novel construction of combined supporting rail and traveling suspension means for suspending curtains and similar draperies, so that the same may be adjusted or moved with a minimum of effort, and without danger of tearing or injuring the most delicatedrapery material, while at the same time a neat and leasing effect is'obtained.

To this end the invention consists in providing a novel supporting track in-connection with which are arranged a plurality of traveling suspension devices, which, by reason of their novel ball-bearing construction,

are substantially frictionless, and conseuently are readily and quickly responsive to parts, as well as in the details of the construc-' tion thereof, all of which will be hereinafter more fullydesc'r'rbed, and then finally embodied in the claim which is appended heret i The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a face view or front elevation of the novel means for suspending curtainsor similar draperies, made according to and embodying the principles of this invention; Fig.

.- 2is a plan or top view of the same; Fig. 3 1s a. fragmentary v1ew showing a modified arrangementofbracket for sup track or rail; and Fig. 4 is a ragmentary vertical cross section, drawn on an enlarged.

*- scale.

rtin'g the.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described I erence character 5 indicates the novel supporting rail in connection with which the novel traveling suspension devices are arranged. Said rail 5 possesses a central vertical web or'fl'ange 6, from the lower end of which sprlng oppositely directed horizontal track flanges 7, provided on their upper surfaces with concave trackchannel's. 8. The

supporting rail thus formed is of substan- .tially inverted T-shape, and is consequently strong and durable, and yet can be bent to follow any shape of window if it is so desired.

The ends of a given rail section or length are preferably bent or curved to project substantially at right angles to the main body thereof, as indicated at w and y in Fig. 2.

The means for hanging or supporting the -novel rail in connection with a window or' door frame or embrasure, comprises, in one form,- an over-head bracket or hanger cons1st1'n of .ahorizontal foot-piece 9 from one end 0 whlch extends a downwardly directed or vertical hanger arm 10. Said foot-piece 9 is arranged against the underside of the lintel 11 of a window or door frame, and may be secured thereto by fastening screws 12 so that thehanger arm 10 depends therefrom. Said brackets or hangers are employed in pairs,

one adjacent toeach stile or side'of the window or door frame, and the rail is supported by and betweenxthe free ends of the hanger armslO thereof. The means for attaching the rail ends to the respective hanger arms 10,

comprise bolts 13, which are respectively passed through the vertical web or flange 6 at each turned end a: and 3/ of the rail, the free end of each bolt 13 passlng through the end of a hanger arm 10. A spacin sleeve 14 is arranged on each bolt interme' iate the web or flange 6 and the adjacent hanger arm 10, to outwardly space the rail end from the latter.

A nut 15 is engaged upon the free end of each bolt 13 beyond the hanger arm, and screwed home to securely bind the parts in desired and proper interconnected relation.

1 It is sometimes advisableto. support the rail 5 from the stiles or sides of the window or door frame, in which case a modified form of supporting means is employed. This modified form of supporting means is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and comprises a horizontal bracket arm 16 provided at its inner end with a stop-shoulder 17 beyond which projectsa screw-threaded shank 18 to screw into the stile or side 19 of the window or door frame. A connecting belt or screw 20 is passed through the web or flange 6 of the rail, so as to screw into the outer end of said bracket arm 16, thus securely i'astening the rail end in supported relation to the latter; all of which will be understood from an inspection of Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The novel traveling suspension devices which are engaged with and ride upon the rail 5, each comprise a substantially semicircular yoke or loop 21 adapted to transversely straddle the rail from the under side. The upper free ends of said yoke or loop 21 terminate in inwardly directed arms 22 from which extend journal portions 23 of reduced diameter. Mounted upon each jour-. nal portion 23 is' a rotatable traction ball 24. As will be apparent from an inspection of the drawings, one traction ball 24, at one side of said yoke or loop rides or travels in the track channel 8 of a track flange 7 at one side of the web or flange 6, while the other tractionball 24, at the other side of said yoke or rides-or travels in the track channel 8 of t e other track flan 7 at the opposite side of said web or ange 6, thus providing a two-point ball-bearing traction and traveling suspension means, which will readily move back and forth on the rail in a substantially frictionless manner, and

without dan er of binding or checking durin its trave in either direction.

t will be understood that a plurality of the suspension devices, of the kind above described, are employed, to which the curtain or other drapery maybe connected, and by which the same may be supported for easy adjustmentto either draw the same'to closed or open position relative to a window or door irame. The curtain or other drapery may be provided with rings 25 which are suspended upon the yokes or loops 21, or-the curtain or other drapery may be fastened directly to the latter in any other manner which may be found convenient or desirable.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the several arrangements and combinations of the parts of my novel curtain or drapery suspension means, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, without departing from the scope of this invention as above described, and asdefined in the appended claim. Hence, I do not my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the said parts as hereinabov'e meaaee described, nor do I confine myself tothe enact details of the construction of said pits as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim In a device of the End described, a rail comprising a medial vertical flange and horizontal oppositely projecting track flanges at the lower end of said vertical flange, each track flange having a concave track channel on its upper side, said railhaving curved end-portions extending at substantially right angles to the main body thereof, supporting means for said rail connected with the vertical flange thereof at said curved endportions, and a traveling suspension device comprising a yoke having inwardly directed free ends terminating in journal portions of: reduced diameter extending respectively transversely above the respective track flanges, and traction balls rotatahly mounted on said journal portions, said concave track channels conforming to said traction balls so as to prevent lateral play of said yoke while nevertheless permitting free travel thereof on said rail.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 

